Eyewear Retention Device

ABSTRACT

An eyewear retention device with a cable having sufficient strength such, when worn on eyeglasses over the ears, the cable is suspended about wearer&#39;s neck, shoulders or garments.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/640,872,filed Dec. 17, 2009, which is currently pending; which is a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/336,727, filed May 7, 2009, whichis currently abandoned. This is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/991,668, filed on Nov. 8, 2010, and which iscurrently pending; which is a national stage of InternationalApplication PCT/US2009/043156, filed on May 7, 2009, and which iscurrently expired; which cites the priority of U.S. application Ser. No.12/142,323, filed Jun. 19, 2008, and which issued as U.S. Pat. No.7,467,867 on Dec. 23, 2008; and which cites for priority provisionalU.S. Application 61/051,539, filed on May 8, 2008, and which iscurrently expired. All of the foregoing applications are incorporated byreference herein in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is eyewear retention devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an eyewear retention device with two templeretainers, one each for fitting tightly over the end of an eyeglasstemple, and a cable connecting each temple retainer to the other. Whenthe invention is attached to eyeglasses and the eyeglasses are worn by awearer over the ears, the cable is suspended in an arc above thewearer's neck, shoulders or garments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view.

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view.

FIG. 6 is a right side elevational view.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view.

FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the design,showing the connecting cord as a twisted cable.

FIG. 10 is a left side view as attached to eyeglass temples and wornover the ears.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is an eyewear retainer device comprising twotemple retainers 1, one each capable of being secured to the end of aneyeglass temple. The temple retainers are connected by a cable 4. Thetemple retainers can be formed in any shape and each has an opening forreceiving the end of an eyeglass temple.

In one embodiment, each temple retainer 1 has a first end 2 with anopening 3 which fits tightly over the end of an eyeglass temple which isinserted into the opening 3 in the first end 2, as shown in FIGS. 1-10.The opening 3 in the temple retainer 1 is slightly smaller than thetypical end of an eyeglass temple. The dimensions of the opening 3 canbe constructed in different sizes, depending on the size of the end ofthe eyeglass temple desired to be retained. Preferably, each templeretainer 1 is comprised of a substance such as rubber having sufficientelasticity to allow the ends of the eyeglass temples to compress thesides of the opening 3 upon insertion, thus retaining the end of theeyeglass temples with friction. In one embodiment, the cable extendsinto a second end 5 of the temple retainer 1 where it is secured to thetemple retainer in the latter's interior. In other embodiments, thecable 4 can be secured to a second end 5 of the temple retainer, or toany other convenient location on the exterior of the temple retainer.The cable 4 is secured to the temple retainers by means which are knownby persons of ordinary skill in the art.

When the eyeglasses are attached to the invention and worn over theears, the cable 4 has sufficient strength to be suspended in an arcabove the wearer's neck, shoulders or garments. As demonstrated by FIG.10, the cable also hangs from the temples of the glasses and forms anarc not touching the wearer's head, neck, or shoulders. The cable can becomprised of any material with enough strength to maintain the suspendedarc while being worn over the ears. The cable in one embodiment is atwisted cable and, in other embodiments, is comprised of polymer such asthat used in monofilament fishing line or tubing.

1. An eyewear retention device comprising: (a) two temple retainers,each having an opening for receiving an eyeglass temple, and (b) acable, each end of the cable being secured to one of the templeretainers, such that when each said opening is attached to the end of aneyeglass temple and the eyeglasses are worn over the ears of a wearer,the cable does not rest upon the wearer's head and forms an arcsuspended off the neck or shoulders.